Fiber blender (srrl bale-opener-blender)



July 7, 1970 J. L KOTTER ET AL FIBER BLENDER (SRRL BALE-OPENER-BLENDER) Original Filed April 21. 1967 N 8 :2 N g s 3 N N N m Kb a; -------:T a g 8 N co m N I2 8 o N N 9 3 N a N Q N N g m w 1 K! g g N r0 8| 5 3 N N O N a 8 o N cu N n a N N7 K1 N 0 N a (T1 T3 0 g g 8 m 9 E- co Lu 2 N R 3 0 g; Q Q INVENTORS N 5g JAMES I. KOTTER l HAROLD L.SALAUN,JR.

BY EUGENE F. WALLACE a JAMES F: IANIGAN,JR.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY July 7, 1970 J. l. KOTTER ET AL FIBER BLENDER (SRRL BALE'OPENER'BLENDER) Original Filed April 21, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS JAMES I. KO TER HAROLD L.SALAUN,JR. EUGENE F. WALLACE JAMES F? LANIGAN,.JR. 2. MW

ATTORNEY July 7, 1970 J. I. KOTTER ET AL 3,519,153

FIBER BLENDER (sRRL BAL EOPENER-BLENDER) Original Filed April 21, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 RWMM ATTORNEY July 7, 1970 J. I. KOTTER ET AL 3,

FIBER BLENDER (SRRL BALE-OPENER'BLENDER) Original Filed April 21. 1967 4 Sheets-s 4 R R LL S NCN m u R G MLI "uAAN KLF DE S L NS EE GM AAUA vH u. m n w m M\ w m z mva w w w m ORNEY United States Patent M 3,519,153 FIBER BLENDER (SRRL BALE-OPENER-BLENDER) James I. Kotter and Harold L. Salaun, Jr., Metairie, Eugene F. Wallace, Chalmette, and James P. Lanigan, Jr., Metairie, La., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture Original application Apr. 21, 1967, Ser. No. 632,657, now Patent No. 3,458,904, dated Aug. 5, 1969. Divided and this application Feb. 19, 1969, Ser. No. 817,215 Int. Cl. B65g 1/18, 57/02 U.S. Cl. 214152 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A nonexclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free license in the invention herein described is hereby granted to the Government of the United States of America, throughout the world for all governmental purposes, with the power to grant sublicenses for such purposes.

This application is a division of Ser. No. 632,657, filed Apr. 21, 1967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,458,904.

The instant invention discloses a method and machine for processing a continuous composition of fibers, or more particularly an endless, stagger-layered fiber package assembled from a plurality of individual fiber packages. The continuous composition of fibers throughout this patent application will be referred to as an endless stagger-layered fiber package.

The machine herein disclosed is a fiber opening and blending machine consisting of a combination fiber package confine, support, and convey means, a fiber tuftplucking means and means defining a rigid, fixed, discontinuous, package hold-back barrier located therebetween, said barrier being discontinuous to an extent that allows particulate tufts of fiber to be plucked from behind thereof and passed therethrough; said tuft-plucking means, with associated drive means, adapted to transverse one face of said barrier with a reciprocating motion and said tuft-plucking means comprising toothed elements the teeth of which are adapted to reach through the barrier discontinuities and to pluck particulate fiber tufts from the exposed face of an endless, stagger-layered fiber package positioned adjacent the opposite face of said barrier; said confine and support means comprising planar, generally rectangular elements defining lateral confine and bottom support for the leading portion on an endless, stagger-layered, fiber package and said confine and support means having associated therewith drive means characterized by cyclic, variable force capability said confine and support means together with the associated drive means adapted to convey the confined and supported portion of a fiber package against the barrier means with a cyclically applied force which force is continuously variable from zero to at least that amount of force required to accommodate the maximum plucking capability of the tuft-plucking means; said barrier means comprising a plurality of uniform, fixed, rigid bars disposed in vertical, parallel, regular spaced array, transverse the fiber package pathway in the confine and support means; said opening and blending apparatus particularly characterized by op- 3,519,153 Patented July 7, 1970 posed, rigid and substantially planar pusher plates, one each, vertically disposed, laterally adjacent either side of the face portion of an endless, stagger-layered fiber package, positioned within the package confine and support means, said pusher plates independent of and located intermediate the barrier means and the forward end of the package confine and support means, drive means for each pusher plate synchronized relative the variable force convey drive means and adapted to urge alternately, with reciprocating motion, first one plate and then the opposed plate against the leading lateral portion of the staggerlayered fiber package, only at such time as the force exerted on the fiber package by the variable force convey drive means is substantially zero, thereby to shift the forward face of the fiber package back and forth across the spaced bars of the barrier means a distance at least sufficient to overcome localized packing and occlusion of fiber masses behind the spaced bars of the barrier means and attendant channelized non-uniform plucking of the fiber package face.

This invention relates to an improvement over our Fiber Blender Pat. No. 3,208,107 and our Automated Fiber Blender disclosed in application Ser. No. 531,273 filed Mar. 2, 1966, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,379,324 both of which processed single packages of fibrous material.

Blending fibers is an urgent problem especially in the cotton textile industry, since research has revealed the effects of fiber properties on processing efficiency and product quality. To average out widely differing fiber properties and to obtain the stock uniformity necessary for high processing efficiency in modern mills, efficient blending of many individual fiber packages in the initial opening process is a vital function.

Among the disadvantages inherent in fiber blending machines in use today are: the incomplete mixing of fibers, the extremely limited blends obtainable within one machine, the relatively low production rates, and the large floor areas required.

One object of this invention is to provide a method and machine to open and blend fibers more efficiently.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method whereby layers from numerous individual fiber packages are placed end to end on a conveyor and stacked in stepped relationship one to the other to form a continuous stagger-layered array. The use of a continuous fiber package, which effectively has no end, eliminates all problems associated with processing the end of a single package or a single unit package. This feature alone constitutes an important advance over prior art devices.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method and machine for opening and blending fibers whereby full packages of fibers or any portion thereof, are placed on a conveyor in stepped relationship so that each layer in the stacked array is always forward of the layer immediately below, thus forming a continuous composite package which package when presented to the processing means of the machine effectively has no end.

A further object of this invention is to blend cotton from numerous packages by the use of a single machine without waste, or downtime conventionally required for loading.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means for establishing consistent, nonvarying, delivery of opened and blended fibers at all desired production rates.

These and other objects which will be apparent to those skilled in the art are achieved by means of our invention.

In the machine described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,208,107 and Pat. No. 3,379,324 packaged cotton is fed to a reciprocating processing head assembly from manually and automatically positioned trucks.

Our present invention provides a method and an ap 3 paratus for making up, maintaining, and automatically supplying an endless stagger-layered package of fibers to the reciprocating processing head assembly of the fiber blender of US. Pat. 3,208,107 and Pat. No. 3,379,324 as described below.

FIG. 1 represents a three-dimensional view of the invention.

FIG. 2 represents a plan schematic view of the invention to show movement of pusher plates and the endless stagger-layered package of fibers.

FIG. 3 represents a plan view of the holdback tension rod, assembly with parts broken away showing an adjustment means.

FIG. 4 is a view of the head assembly, with parts broken away, to show the pertinent internal structure of the head assembly.

Reference is made to the drawings. As may best be seen in FIG. 1, layers 11, removed from individual packages of fibers are placed end to end on a conveyor of any suitable construction such as an endless belt 200 and stacked in stepped relationship to each other forming effectively an endless stagger-layer array, namely, continuous composite package 25. Layers from one fiber package occupy the bottom position on the conveyor belt 200 which is supported by rear roller 235 and forward roller 240. As shown in FIG. 1, roller 235 is mounted on shaft 236 which is supported by bearings 237 and 238. Forward roller 240 is mounted on shaft 241 supported by a pair of bearings, only one of which, 243, is visible in FIG. 1. Layers from a second fiber package are placed in the next upper position being offset forward a finite distance from the layer immediately below; (a one foot offset will cause satisfactory results) layers from a third fiber package in the next position and so on, all in stepped relationship making up the multi-layered continuous package 25.

Although not essential to the invention, we prefer to present a vertical flat front surface 201 of the continuous package to the processing head assembly 33. To obtain said vertical fiat front surface 201, the portions or overages of all layers 11 extending beyond the end of the forward bottom layer are removed in the initial loading only.

To maintain the continuous package 25 and to maintain uninterrupted operation of the opening and blending machine 13, periodic stacking of layers 11 is necessary; first a layer from the first bale in bottom position then a layer from the second bale in next upper position, and so on until the desired number of layers 11 have been added to the composite package 25.

In addition to supporting the continuous fiber package 25, the conveyor 200 is a synchronized with vertical conveyors 202 and 203, which together form a channel and serve to confine and to convey continuous package 25. The so-confined portion of continuous packkage 25 is designated as 83 in FIGS. 1 and 4. Once layers 11 enter channel 83 of fiber blender 13, contact is maintained between continuous package 25 and vertical conveyors 202 and 203. Said conveyors 202 and 203 may be any type common to the art, but we prefer to use endless belts, equipped with slats 204.

Fiber contacting surfaces of feed conveyors 202 and 203 converge for a finite distance prior to becoming and remaining parallel. Convergence of contact surfaces of conveyor belts 202 and 203 is accomplished by the positioning and location of guide rollers 205 and 206, mounted onto shafts 207 and 208, rotatably supported by bearings 209 and 210, and co-acting bearings not shown. These bearings are mounted on adjacent portions of the structural framework, a portion of which, 5, is shown in FIG. 1. Feed conveyors 202 and 203 are supported by drive rollers 211 and 212 and idler rollers 213 and 214. Drive rollers 211 and 212 are aflixed to shafts 215 and 216, rotatably mounted in bearings 217, 219, 218 and co-acting bearing not shown. As before, the bearings are mounted on the structural framework, the relevant portions being indicated by 1 and 2. Idler rollers 213 and 214 are affixed to shafts 227 and 228, rotatably supported by upper bearings 229 and 230, and by two lower bearings, 231 and the other not shown. The bearings are mounted on adjacent portions of the structural framework designated as 6, the others being omitted in the interest of clarity.

Feed belts 202 and 203 are synchronized and driven with their fiber contact surfaces traveling in the same di-' rection by any driving means such as bevel gears 220 and 221, on shafts 215 and 216, meshing with bevel gears 222 and 223, on shaft 224, rotatably mounted in bearings 225 and 226, the latter bearings being mounted on the upper portion 4 of the framework.

Vertical feed conveyors 202 and 203 and horizontal conveyors 200 are driven by any variable torque means such as variable torque motor 239 through twisted drive belt 232 contacting pulleys 233 and 234 on shafts 215 and 236 respectively.

Conveyor belt forward roller 240 is affixed to shaft 241 which is rotatably supported in bearing 243 and coacting bearing not shown. The bearings supporting roller shafts 236 and 241 are also mounted on corresponding adjacent portions of the structural framework, only one of which portions 3 is shown.

The continuous package 25 is advanced to the vertically reciprocating, processing head assembly 33, of the kind disclosed in Pat. No. 3,208,107 and is held with a predetermined force against holdback tension bars 27, as the teeth 30 (FIG. 3), of counter-rotating processing cylinders 31 and 32, shown in FIG. 4, pluck tufts 35 i from confined portions 83 of continuous package 25. Said force as applied to and subsequently exerted by continuous bale 25 on holdback tension bars 27, originates from variable torque means, such as motor 239. The force is transmitted through drive means to fiber contact surfaces of conveyor 200 and vertical feed conveyors 202 1 and 203 as previously explained. Regulation of force exerted by continuous package 25 on holdback tension bars 27 is a means for controlling production rates of the fiber blender 13.

Referring to FIG. 3, tuft size is controllable by regulating the depth of penetration of processing cylinder teeth 30, through the interstices 240 of holdback tension bars 27 into the leading face of continuous package 25. Processing head assembly 33, and holdback bar unit assembly 249 are fully described in Pat. No. 3,208,107. However, to the extent pertinent here, the processing head assembly,

as shown in FIG. 4, comprises a pair of rollers 31 and 32 on which are mounted teeth 30. These rollers are driven by hydraulic motors 401 and 402, respectively, which are connected by means of conventional hydraulic lines (not shown) to conventional pumping means (also not shown).

Vertical reciprocating motion of head assembly 33 is obtained by means of reciprocating hydraulic cylinders 403 and 404, secured to the outer casing 33a of the head assembly. Cylinder 403 moves on tubular, stational pistons 411 and 412, which also serve to deliver hydraulic fluid through pipes 409 and 407, respectively, from any conventional hydraulic pump. Control of direction of flow is by valve means (not shown) familiar to those skilled in the art. Similarly, cylinder 404 moves on tubular, stationary pistons 413 and 414 which, in like manner are supplied with hydraulic fluid through pipes 410 and 408, respectively. The four tubular pistons are maintained stationary by being secured to brackets 415, 416, 417, and 418, which, in turn are secured to adjacent structural members 405 and 506 (shown in part) of the framework of the apparatus. Adjustment of the holdback tension bars 27, as a unit assembly 249, in the direction indicated by arrows, C and D, regulates the depth of penetration of processing cylinder teeth 30, into the leading face of continuous package 25. Holdback bar unit assembly 249 is positioned and adjusted by any means common to the art such as four co-acting adjustment units 250 (only the upper two being shown) consisting of rigidly fixed blocks 251, nuts 252, and stud bolt 253 attached to assembly 240. Assemblies 245 are secured to portions 7 and 8 of the adjacent framework structure of the apparatus. By loosening and tightening appropriate nuts 252 on stud bolt 253 which freely passes through blocks 251, tension bar assembly 249 is moved and locked in desired position for processing.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2: as the processing head assembly 33 reciprocates vertically by means described in US. Pat. No. 3,208,107, extracting tufts 35 from continuous package 25, pusher plates 244 and 245 attached to and actuated by any means common to the art such as bydraulic cylinders 246 and 247 (supplied with hydraulic fluid from conventional pumping means, not shown, through lines 301, 302, 303, and 304), shifts the vertical surface 201 of the leading face of continuous package 25, in cyclic horizontally transverse movement as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Transverse movement of the forward portion 83 of package 25 during processing is a means for establishing consistent production at any desired production rate.

Referring to FIG. 2: in normal operation, the fiber blenders feed cycle functions as follows:

Step I.As the processing head 33 reciprocates vertically, the continuous package 25 is advanced and held with a predetermined force against holdback parallel tension bars 27, for a timed interval by means of any conventional sequencing means, such as timed electrical ratchet relay switch 256a, shown schematically in FIG. 1.

Step II.When advance timed interval is completed, the force exerted by synchronized conveyor belt 200 and feed conveyors, 202 and 203 is removed. As this occurs, pusher plate 244 moves the forward vertical surface 201, of package 25 a predetermined distance from position X to position Y by the action of hydraulic cylinder 246.

Step [II.When pusher plate 244 travels a prescribed distance, terminating at A, hydraulic cylinder 246 is actuated by any conventional control means, such as electric switch 256 (connected to known control circuits by wires 306), which returns pusher plate 244 to its original position, A. Switch 256 is contacted by protuberance 254 on rod 255 attached to pusher plate 244.

Step I V.As pusher plate 244 reaches its original position A, Step I is repeated, by switch 256 actuating the feed, (feed motor 239), to which it is connected through tinted switch 256a by wires 306. Switch 256 is contacted by protuberance 257 on rod 255 attached to pusher plate 244.

Step V.When advance timed interval is completed, hydraulic cylinder 247 is actuated and pusher plate 245 moves the forward surface 201, of continuous package 25, a predetermined distance from position Y to position X.

Step VI.When pusher plate 245 travels a prescribed distance, terminating at B, hydraulic cylinder 247 is actuated by a conventional control means, such as switch 260, connected to known control circuits by wires 305, returning pusher plate 245 to its original position B. Swtich 260 is contacted by protuberance 258 on rod 259 attached to pusher plate 245.

Upon pusher plate 245 reaching its original position B, protuberance 261 on rod 259 contacts switch 260, which actuates the feed. Continuous package 25 is again advanced and beginning with Step I, the entire cycle repeats itself throughout continuous operation of fiber blender 13.

When the fiber blenders mode of operation is on demand, the next machine in the processing line 7. following the blender controls the output of fiber blender 13, on an on-off production basis. The feed cycle follows the same schedule as outlined; however, when blender 13 meets the demand requirement of the following machine in the processing line, continuous package 25 is retracted or withdrawn from the tension bars 27, by reversal of synchronized, conveyor belt 200, and feed belts 202 and 203 for a timed interval. When the timed interval is completed and continuous package 25 has been retracted the prescribed distance from tension bars 27, the feed system is de-energized and remains off until the following machine in the processing line requires more fibrous stock for processing.

In response to an electrical demand signal from the folowing machine requiring stock, the blenders feed system is energized and package 25 is moved forward to tension bars 27 and porcessing head 33, and production is resumed.

When package 25 is being fed forward or retracted from processing head 33, pusher plates 244 and 245 are inoperative and remain in their original retracted positions, A and B respectively.

For higher production operation, the feed cycle of fiber blender 13 functions as follows:

Step I.As the processing head 13 reciprocates vertically, the continuous package 25 is advanced and held with a predetermined force against holdback parallel tension bars 27 for a timed interval. The force is determined by the production rate desired.

Step II.When advance timed interval in completed, continuous package 25 is retracted or withdrawn from the processing head 33 by reversal of feed motor 239, driving synchronized, conveyors 200, 202, and 203 for a timed interval.

Step III.When timed interval is completed and continuous package 25 is retracted any desired distance, (a satisfactory distance is 1" to 4") from the holdback tension bars 27, pusher plate 244 moves front vertical surface 201 of bale 25 a predetermined distance from position X to position Y by the action of hydraulic cylinder 246.

Step IV.When pusher plate 244 travels a prescribed distance, terminating at A, hydraulic cylinder 246 is actuated by a conventional control means, such as switch 256, Which returns pusher plate 244 to its original position, A. Switch 256 is contacted by protuberance 254, on rod 255, attached to pusher plate 244.

Step V.As pusher plate 244 reaches its original position A, Step I is repeated. Feed motor 239 is actuated by a conventional control means, such as switch 256, and continuous package 25 is advanced. Switch 256 is contacted by protuberance 257 on rod 255 as pusher plate 245 reaches its original position A.

Step VI.When advance timed interval of Step I is completed, Step II is repeated. Continuous package 25 is retracted by reversal of feed motor 239 driving synchronized conveyors 200, 202, and 203, for a timed in terval.

Step VII.When timed interval is completed and continuous package 25 is retracted the desired distance, (1" to 4") from the holdback tension bars 27, pusher plate 245 moves front vertical surface 201 of package 25 a predetermined distance from position Y to position X by theyaction of hydraulic cylinder 247.

Step VIII.When pusher plate 245 travels a prescribed distance, terminating at B, hydraulic cylinder 247 is actuated by a conventional control means, such as switch 260, which returns pusher plate 245 to its original position, A. Switch 260 is contacted by protuberance 258 on rod 259 attached to pusher plate 245.

Upon reaching original position B, protuberance 261 on rod 259 contacts switch 260, which actuates feed motor 239. Continuous bale 25 is again advanced and beginning with Step I, the entire cycle repeats itself throughout continuous operation of fiber blender 13.

The invention is not limited to the use of hydraulics as a means for performing the various functions throughout its operation, for example, mechanical, pneumatic, or electrical means could be employed.

We claim:

1. A method for constructing an endless, stagger-layered fiber package from a plurality of individual fiber packkages which comprises:

(a) removing a discreet portion from one of said plurality of individual fiber packages and forming therewith a first and bottom layer;

(b) removing a discreet portion from a second of said plurality of individual fiber packages and positioning said portion atop the bottom layer formed in step (a), the second layer being offset from said bottom layer a finite distance in the forward direction relative subsequent package construction;

(c) repeating step (b) for a third and sequentially for other remaining members of said plurality of individual fiber packages, offsetting each layer forwardly of the layer immediately below, until a tiered-layer section of preselected height is attained; and

(d) advancing said tiered layer forwardly, whereupon steps (a), (b), and (c) are repeated in sequence to form a second and subsequent tiered-layer section of preselected height at approximately the same initial position, each subsequent, tiered-layer section being constructed immediately behind its preceding counterpart and being successively interlocked therewith via the opposed stepwise layer relationship that obtains between adjacent, tiered-layer sections.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 277,220 5/1883 Burr 21.4-10.5 1,440,366 1/1923 Baldwin 214-105 X 2,247,519 7/1941 Pace 214--l0.5 X

ALBERT I. MAKAY, Primary Examiner R. I. SPAR, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

